


Sonder

by twinSky



Series: Kenhina Week 2016 [7]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Pining, kenma never played for nekoma, kind of?, slight implied kurotsuki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 18:09:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6818677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twinSky/pseuds/twinSky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.</i> </p><p>-</p><p>Tokyo has over 13 million people to call it home, yet somehow Kenma can't stop spotting this orange haired boy everywhere he goes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sonder

**Author's Note:**

> IT MAY BE PAST TWELVE BUT I FINISHED THIS AT 11:50 AND EITHER WAY IT'S STILL MAY 10TH IN SOME TIMEZONE
> 
> HAPPY (BELATED) KENHINA DAY!
> 
> I really wasn't sure what to write for the free day, so instead I decided to finish up one of my old wips -this one's literally like a year old and was based off a tumblr post I saw that had that above word and it's definition. I really don't remember why it caught my attention so much at the time but it did, and I decided to write a fic based of it. Though back then I only got as far as the first page break though, and I don't really remember where I wanted to head with it back then, but I ended up getting this
> 
> Still, I'm actually happy with it and I'm glad this is my closing piece for the week, I hope you all enjoy it too!

When Kenma was younger, he hated crowds; it was too many people pressed up against him all at once. It was too much, too much and though he _knew_ it didn’t make sense he couldn’t help but feel like all eyes were on him.

It’s better now, in fact, it’s about the exact opposite.

Now, he wouldn’t go as far as to day he enjoyed being in a crowd –Kenma would still rather go without being in a crowd then in one. What he does find enjoyment in though, is watching them. Watching people go about their days, moving together as one yet paying no attention to the people around them. It’s interesting to him, to see these people with lives and accomplishments of their own, with dreams he’ll never know, pass by to never be seen again.

It’s one of the reasons why he’s come to like Tokyo so much; with millions of people making this city their home it’s always a new array of people that he gets to see, or at least, he doesn’t notice any possible repeats that may cross his gaze.

So it’s why it confuses him when he can’t seem to stop spotting that same mop of orange hair everywhere he goes.

 

-

 

The first time he sees him he is sitting by the window of a café and he watches as a blur of orange races by, bobbing and weaving through the crowd seamlessly with a frantic kind of determination on his face.

As he watches him pass by he wonders where he’s going and how often he does this – because his movements are so smooth, barely touching anyone one else on the sidewalk – and if his hair is dyed.

Kenma has never seen such a bright shade of orange in his life –it’s almost mesmerizing.

The boy plagues his thoughts for the rest of the day, and he can’t figure out why someone he saw for not even ten seconds won’t stop running through his day.

 

-

 

The next time is in a bookstore, as he searches for that new science journal Kuroo has been wanting, and spots him leaning down in front of the English Literature section, mumbling something to himself.

He glances down at his phone and rubs the back of head harshly before letting out a heavy sigh, eyes scanning the shelf in front of him before beginning the whole process yet again.

He doesn’t notice how long he just stands there watching until the other stands abruptly grabbing three books as he does and rushes past him shouting an apology as he goes.

By the time he comes back to himself the other is long gone.

Nineteen years in this city and Kenma can count on both hands the time he has noticed seeing someone twice that he didn’t go to school with or live close to and yet there he had been right in front of him. As if escaping his thoughts and forming into reality.

He buys the journal in an almost daze, not even noticing the odd look the shopkeeper throws his way.

 

-

 

The third is on the subway, as he stands waiting for the next one he watches as it pulls up with the orange haired boy standing right in front of the doors, talking animatedly to a black-haired boy who for some reason also look vaguely familiar to Kenma.

“Then Tobio dropped the whole carton of eggs and it startled Yachi so bad she threw the sugar she was holding up,” he says, voice like a bullet as we walks by – so close Kenma could reach out and _touch_. “It was such a mess and she wouldn’t stop apologizing even though Tobio just glared as if it wasn’t all his fault and we ended up ordering out…” His voice fades out as the pair moves away and none too rough shoving reminds Kenma to start moving and board the train before people shove him away.

He can practically feel the image in his head changing, the vague image solidifying and expanding at the new information he’s been given.

The image in his head smiles at him, just like he had been at the boy he had walked by with, and Kenma swears –immediately looking down when surrounding passengers turn their heads towards him at the outburst.

God, he’s fucked, he’s absolutely fucked.

When did he develop a crush on a guy he’s never even spoken a word to.

 

-

 

God hates him, Kenma can’t help but think, the fourth time he runs into the other boy –and really, he doesn’t even know his _name_ yet the other invades his thoughts as if he belongs there.

He stares at the sky, thinking about how easily this all could’ve been avoided if he’d just moved out of the way, but then he’d seen the other barrelling straight ahead towards him and had frozen on the spot, feet unwilling to move.

His vision of clouds and sky is interrupted by a patch of orange hair and warm brown eyes. Kenma blinks, face flushing at the proximity as he remembers why he’s in this position in the first place.

“Are you okay?” He asks, face taught with concern as gazes down at him.

“I’m fine,” Kenma says, sitting up slowly and wincing, dull pain ringing through him, but the other doesn’t even seem to be listening.

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going but this area is usually deserted at this time and I was in such a rush because….” Kenma nods along only half listening to the other’s rant as he continues on and on.

Such a strong lung capacity, going for so long without breath, and such lovely eyes even now slightly darkened with concern and sadness and his hair, Kenma is sure, has to be natural despite its brightness.

Kenma wants to reach up and just run his hands through it but Kenma is also a person with common sense and some shred of decency despite the fact that the person before him seems to take that all away without even realising that he’s doing it.

The other pulls him up and Kenma follows without protest, lost in his thoughts but not enough to avoid the thrill of pleasure and joy at something as simple as hand to hand contact between them.

“I’m fine,” he repeats, feeling as if he has gone too long without saying anything.

“Are you sure there’s nothing I can do?” the other asks, all his focus solely on Kenma despite the fact he’s sure there’s somewhere he needs to be considering how fast he’d been running when they had collided.

Kenma shakes his head, ignoring all the words that want to come out of his mouth at the offer. He’d die of embarrassment if he actually said something as cheesy and idiotic as ‘yea you can give me your number’ or ‘how about a date?’ in response to that.

His frown deepens for a second before clearing and leaving a wary expression in its place.

“Well, if you’re sure –I really am sorry, I hope you have a good day.” And then he’s off, darting off in the direction he had been heading towards before they had collided.

As the other disappears, he wishes he had at least asked for the other’s name.

 

-

 

“It’s you!” Are the first words Kenma hears the fifth time they meet and Kenma swings the door near shut, leaning over to check the number to their apartment.

Yes, this is his and Kuroo’s apartment, yes, his key opened this door, and yes, that is the object of Kenma’s affection sitting on their couch and talking to aforementioned friend and roomate as if they’re old friends.

Maybe he’s entered some weird parallel dimension, or maybe he hit his head on something and he’s suffering from delusions or in a coma.

“Kenma, you know Chibi-chan?”

“Seriously, I grew, why do you still call me that?” The boy – on their couch, in their home – asks with a pout, “and I bumped into him on the way home the other day.”

“You’ll always be small compared to me and Kei.” He sticks his tongue out a Kuroo, but his gaze shifts quickly to Kuroo, expression troubled.

“I really am sorry,” He says, and Kenma has already forgiven him ten times over – even thanked him for the moment – in his head but the other doesn’t need to know any of that.

“I just heard the door open, how did you already offend someone.” Another voice says, and Kenma looks over to see Tsukishima exiting the kitchen with a mug in his hand, “I have no idea why I let you convince me into bringing you here.”

“Because we’re going shopping for Tadashi’s present after this and you suck at gift getting.” He says from the couch, practically singing the words and both he and Kuroo laugh when Tsukishima’s cheek flush the slightest shade of pink.

“Fuck off,” is the reply as he drops down next to Kuroo, elbowing him in the stomach as he does.

As Kuroo sputters Tsukishima turns to face him, expression a couple shades shy of irritated, “Hey Kenma, this is idiot friend number two; Hinata Shouyou,” he says, gesturing vaguely at the other.

“It’s nice to meet you properly this time,” The other – Hinata Shouyou – says, standing up to shake his hand vigorously and a wide smile to match.

“Kozume Kenma,” he replies, committing the other’s genuine joy and excitement to memory, “please, call me Kenma,” he adds, voice soft.

“Alright Kenma,” he says, voice just as cheery as before, “You can call me Shouyou –I hope we become great friends.”

Kenma can’t help but hope for the same, and the flutter in chest can’t help but hope for more.

 

-

 

There is a sixth time, and a seventh, and an eighth, and a ninth, and a so many that eventually Kenma stops keeping track (except, not really) and each time Kenma feels himself fall a bit more, a bit harder.

Kenma learns that Shouyou plays volleyball and that’s where he and Tsukishima met Kuroo. (Briefly, he imagines Kuroo having convinced him to join, and spending all those extra years knowing him, but he does not ponder it often.) He learns that when Shouyou sets his mind to something nothing will get in his way, and that he will find a way no matter what. He learns that the fire in Shouyou’s eyes is as fierce and captivating and dangerous as a wild fire. He learns that when Shouyou texts he uses too many emojis and rarely any kind of capitalization. He learns that Shouyou may not be the tallest person but he can jump so high Kenma feels like he’s flying just watching him. He learns that when Shouyou smiles it is like his own personal sun. He learns that nearly everyone finds themselves pulled towards Shouyou in some way like he really is the sun and some kind of gravity surrounds him. He learns about Shouyou’s likes and dislikes, learns what makes him smile and what leaves him shaking, learns how to make a bad day easier on him and what his favourite position on a couch is.

Kenma learns and learns and learns, cataloguing every detail as if it holds the upmost importance in his life, like water to a drowning man, as if one day Kenma will be tested on everything Hinata and there is no way he won’t get less than perfect on that.

 

-

 

(In turn, Shouyou learns Kenma, for every detail Kenma has gotten Shouyou has the same, drinking up his sight and his person as if the moment he stops the other will be gone.)

 

-

 

“We’ve known each other for awhile now Kenma,” Shouyou says, and his fingers twitch –Kenma knows exactly how long they’ve known each other, how many times they have passed each other on the street or walked by each other in a store. Kenma has been smitten since day one and has not forgotten a moment since. He just nods his head however, when Shouyou looks over as if expecting a response from him, “and I really care about you.”

His fingers twitch again, warmth filling him up and leaving him smiling at the declaration, “You mean a lot to me,” Kenma replies in kind and the slight embarrassment is worth it for the shy smile that Shouyou gives him in response.

Shouyou pauses, taking his hand in his as he slides over so they are closer together, knees knocking slightly together as their legs dangle freely over the ledge.

“I –for a while now,” Shouyou’s words come and then halt, expression nervous as his legs begin to shake, “I wanted to ask if you –” again his words halt, heaving out an exasperated breath.

“Would you like to go on a date with me, Kenma?”

“Yes,” Kenma replies with no hesitation, “Absolutely.”

And Shouyou laughs, the sound somewhere between relieved and hysteric.

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

The first time, their first date, goes smoother than Kenma had been anticipating, sure that somehow, someway, everything would end up going awry. There is laughter and smiles and so much joy Kenma feels fit to burst and at the end Shouyou walks him home and with a bright red face holds him close, leaves a peck on his forehead, and whisper-yells a goodbye before disappearing into the night.

Then there is a second, and a third, and a fourth, and so many more and each feels just as wonderful as the last.

 

The first time they kiss (every time they kiss) Kenma feels set on fire from the inside out and it burns so wonderfully and so thoroughly that it leaves him positively breathless every time. Shouyou will laugh, lips still pressed together and the vibrations will run through him leaving him smiling and soon the both of them descend into breathless laugher foreheads pressed together and Kenma feels it all pass in a second, in an eternity and he feels so, so, so, very happy and so, so, so very thankful every single time.

 

So many lives and people on this earth and Kenma cannot thank the world enough for allowing his and Shouyou’s to coexist.

**Author's Note:**

> You know, this week made my published fic count on ao3 higher than ffnet, which is cool, it also means over 40 published stories overall!! It was a challenge writing these all day of, living myself well under 24 hours to write these was hard, I take months to weeks usually on a fic, just because I procrastinate so much, so this was an absolute experience and I hope you enjoyed taking this ride with me
> 
> I'd like to thank everyone who read any and all of the fics I wrote for this week, and hope you guys enjoyed reading them even has as much as I enjoyed writing them. Thank you so much for your kudos, comments, bookmarks, or even if you just read the whole thing and closed the tab without doing anything -just the fact you read it through means something to me.
> 
> For the final time, happy end of day seven, and happy end of Kenhina Week 2016 to you guys!


End file.
